It seems to me that Muslims are in the lead as far as eco-friendly practices go. They keep it simple, quick and cost efficient too. I compiled this blog after chatting to my good friend and colleague Cassim Abramia who has some involvement in Muslim burials in Lenasia. As Cassim explained the Muslim funeral customs to me, the thing that struck me was how environmentally friendly their practices are.

According to Islamic tradition, the highest honour you can give someone in death is a swift burial. Muslims try to bury before sunset on the same day of death where possible, and before sunset on the following day if circumstances make same day burial impossible. A speedy burial is of the utmost importance. In ecological terms this does away with the need for refrigeration.

The deceased is respectfully cared for by their own family members. Women clean the bodies of the female deceased and men take care of the men. They recite prayers as they follow a simple and dignified step by step procedure of cleaning the body which is covered in a sheet throughout the process.

Burying in a coffin is not permitted in Muslim tradition unless there is a necessity for health or legal reasons, for example, if the body is badly damaged, or if the country of residence has burial laws which prohibit burial without a coffin. South African legislation requires human remains to be transported in coffins so it is common practice to transport the deceased in a steal casket. Once at the burial site, the deceased is lifted out of the coffin and buried in a (biodegradable calico) shroud. The steel casket is re-used by the community for all burials, which scores a ten out of ten for recycling!

The body is lowered into a recess in the trench and turned on its right to face the Qiblah, (Mecca). Wooden planks are then placed at an angle, effectively closing the deceased in a cavern. The slits between the planks are then covered with bamboo, unbaked bricks, mud or grass. ‘Plastic sheeting’ is warned against in the instruction booklet ‘because it is not biodegradable’. Funeral Guide gives the Muslims an eco friendly thumbs up for that!

Muslim cemeteries are unique in that they are characterized by humility, simplicity and economy in costs. Glorifying the dead with elaborate monuments is avoided. Muslim literature discourages the erection of domes, mausoleums, statues or any lasting structure on a grave site. A simple name plate is used on Muslim graves for identification purposes. Once again, minimizing the trail of waste matter left on the planet.

Hats off to the Muslims for eco friendly burial practices and thank you Cassim for all your patience and lovely information. For purposes of this blog, we have summarized many of the details, and only really covered what which is relevant ecologically.